Lionel 249

[Anonymous]

I have a Lionel 249 that’s a 2-4-2, it was bought with the entire set in 58 by my grandfather. Over the years this thing has been worked on by who knows how many people because my Grandfather loved his trains and just about ran them into the ground.[:0]
Recently I took it in and had it worked on because the flywheel was starting to wobble but when I got it back I set it on a shelf until Christmas. When I took it out a few weeks ago and ran it there wasn’t a light. Now my memory isn’t all that great [:D] so I can’t remember if this had one or not. I also don’t know if this was supposed to be a “smoking” unit or not. I saw someone selling one like this on eBay and he said it lit up and that it smoked, I also saw someone selling one that had a whistle but no light or smoke.
Can someone tell me what this engine is really supposed to have?

[lionelsoni]

Neither smoke nor headlight, two-position e-unit. The 250 was the same locomotive, but with a headlight and a three-position e-unit.

[Anonymous]

Should it have a whistle?

[lionelsoni]

I doubt it. It seems to have been sold with several different tenders, none of which seem to have whistles. The tender would be noticeably heavy and would have to have a center-rail pickup to power the whistle. Does it?

[Anonymous]

Regarding Lionel #249...???????????????????????????

"Lionel 249/249E...2-4-2, same boiler and frame as 261/262/
262E but with added valve gear and marker lights, with or
without whistle, with 265 or 225 tender, Nickle trim, 9 3/4" long,
cataloged 1936-1937 and uncataloged 1938-1939. gunmetal
or black." (source: Lionel Trains, Standard of the World, 1900-1943
by Donald S. Fraley M.D editor, written by Fort Pitt Chapter, TCA.

BTW...I have three of these things and they are original and run
great!

Are you sure about the numbers?

[wrmcclellan]

The 249 loco (orange stripe - no light - no smoke) came with the 250T tender (also orange stripe with Pennsylvania lettering), same as supplied with the 250 loco (my first train set in 1957). Sorry no whistle. In fact the tender is pretty light and I had to add a good sized fishing weight inside the tender to keep it on the track when pulling any kind of load.

Regards,
Roy

[wrmcclellan]

Ches,

He is talking about the post war 249, a plastic bodied Columbia style 2-4-2 for starter sets, sold in 1958.

Regards,
Roy

[Anonymous]

Okay...Thanks. Wasn't sure about his numbers. I didn't realize
that Lionel had re-used that and other numbers. My bad.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, this set is straight out of the 1958 catalog: “No. 1590 “O27” 4-Car Steam Freight with “Pennsy’s” 2-4-2 red striped loco.”
Thanks everyone for helping me get this straight, however, could a light be added to this without “upsetting” the rest of the engine?

[Chris F]

Yup, per Greenberg's Postwar repair manual, "No. 250 Locomotive was fitted with the headlight assembly shown. This same assembly may be added to any 249 unit." The referenced part numbers are

2034-9 Headlight bracket assy.
R-91 Lamp spring
61-22 Washer & eyelet
363-300 Lamp

Center wire of lamp goes to collector roller wire, while the bracket acts as the ground.

Given that the 249 came with a 2-position reverse unit, you might want to consider switching to the 3-position unit used on the 250. This change is more involved than adding a lamp, tho!

[Anonymous]

What's the difference between the 2 position and 3 position?

[lionelsoni]

What you've got alternates between forward and backward. The three-position e-unit cycles through forward-neutral-backward-neutral-forward, etc.

You can see all the Lionel service information that Chris mentioned at
http://pictures.olsenstoy.com/searchcd31.htm?itm=68

[Anonymous]

lionelsoni you said that this alternates between forward and reverse, it does, but it happens when I power up and down, but when this thing warms up if the train is going forward and I throw the switch on top it’ll keep going forward until I throw the switch again. Is that “correct operation” for this unit?

[wrmcclellan]

tme1972,

Yes that is correct. The switch on top is for disabling the e-unit so the engine will always operate in the last setting it was in when the switch was thrown. This is why the engine always goes forward when you threw the switch while it was in forward.

Regards,
Roy

[Anonymous]

I also have a 249 w/tender and 4 cars.
Does anyone know the aprox. value?
I am thinking of selling.

[Dave Farquhar]

brdgplyr, the 249 isn't worth a lot. Their value is mostly sentimental, and they make a great Christmas tree train. I used a Lionel 246 (a very similar locomotive from a couple of years later) on my Christmas layout this year. To give you some idea of its market value, I paid $35 for my 246, tender, and three or four cars. Book value may be slightly higher, but since the psotwar 240-series is so common, it's often difficult to get book value for them.

If your 249 works, I'd hang onto it and put it around your Christmas tree. You'll get more enjoyment from it that way than you're likely to get from its cash value.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, my only question is "post war" I know this was puchased in 1939 or 1940.

[Chris F]

The gunmetal (gray) 249/249E 2-4-2 loco, as described earlier by ChesBchRy, is valued in Greenberg's 2005 price guide at $100 (good) and $200 (excellent). Add $10 to each for the satin black version.

To provide values for the cars, I'd need the numbers.